In home entertainment systems, it is known to include a device, sometimes called a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) or Personal Video Recorder (PVR), to allow home television subscribers to record television programming for viewing at a time that is more convenient for the subscriber. To support this function, a DVR may present a user interface through which a user may enter recording requests for one or more programs. The device may maintain a list of such requests and, at an appropriate time, record television information.
Conventional DVR's support multiple formats by which a user may enter a request for recording. A user may enter a date, time, duration and channel for recording. At the specified time, the DVR may control a tuner to tune to the specified channel and record television information for the indicated duration.
Alternatively, a DVR may have access to an Electronic Program Guide (EPG). The EPG may indicate the time and channel during which programs are presented by television service providers. The DVR may use the EPG to offer a menu of recording options, allowing a user to input a recording request by identifying a program by name. The DVR may then relate the program name to a date, time, duration and channel for recording.
Use of an EPG to relate a program name to a specific date, time, duration and channel also supports requests specified in other ways. A user, for example, may specify recording a series of programs. The DVR can access the EPG to find each instance of that program that is scheduled. Also, use of the EPG may allow the DVR to accept a keyword from the user and identify programs described in the EPG by the specified keyword.